How can a foreigner get employed in Belarus?

All categories of foreigners – whether they hold a permanent residence permit (PRP), a temporary residence permit or are staying in Belarus temporarily – may be employed in Belarus.

If you have just arrived in Belarus, firstly you need to get a temporary registration, allowing you to stay in Belarus for no longer than 90 days in a calendar year. If you are planning to stay in Belarus for longer you would have to obtain a temporary residence permit, employment in Belarus being the ground for obtaining it. Thus, you first get a temporary registration, then conclude an employment agreement with a Belarusian employer and, once the first two steps are completed, you may submit documents for obtaining a temporary residence permit.

Documents needed

In order to conclude a labor agreement with a Belarusian employer you must provide the following documents:

1. ID document (mandatory);
   The following documents are recognized as ID documents for foreigners:

   • for foreigners permanently resident in Belarus – PRP;

   • refugees need refugee identity card;

   • for foreigners temporary resident or temporary staying in Belarus — travel document. Such a document may be a valid national passport or a different document allowing the person to travel abroad (for instance, a passport for traveling abroad).

2. employment record book;
   If a foreigner is getting employed in Belarus for the first time, his/her employer must issue their employment record book.
   If you have an employment record book issued in your state, you may provide it to your employer but it will only be necessary to get information on your working experience. The employer would still issue your employment record book in the official form appropriate for use in Belarus.

3. document certifying education or studies, confirming your right to do a particular type of work (mandatory);
   When getting employed for a position requiring special qualifications, a foreigner, like any other candidate, must confirm that he/she has the qualifications or education required (for instance, by providing a diploma on finishing the university). If you have the required document that was not issued in Belarus, you would have to get a certificate on the document’s recognition and equivalence (conformity) to a Belarusian diploma. Such certificates are issued by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus on the basis of the expert opinion of State educational entity “Republican higher education institute”.

   ! If your state and the Republic of Belarus have concluded an agreement eliminating the requirement of obtaining such a certificate, this step is not necessary. Documents on higher education issued in the following states are recognized in the Republic of Belarus without issuing a recognition certificate:

   • Azerbaijan;

   • Armenia;

   • Georgia;

   • Kazakhstan;

   • Kyrgyzstan;

   • Moldova;

   • Russia;

   • Tajikistan;

   • Turkmenistan;

   • Uzbekistan;

   • Ukraine.
     However, a notarized translation of the document on education to Russian or Belarusian language would still be required.

4. insurance certificate;
   Your first Belarusian employer must provide you with an insurance certificate that remains in your possession and then you may provide it to new employers.

5. medical certificate;
   Such a certificate is only required if you are getting employed by an entity where having a prior medical examination is mandatory. You can get this certificate from the polyclinic at the place of registration or at the medical centers. You should ask your employer whether you need to get one.

6. other documents confirming other circumstances related to your job if that is required by Belarusian laws;
   Sometimes such documents as a driver’s license, certificate, etc. may be requested. It is your employer who needs to tell you if you need to provide those.

7. mandatory health insurance agreement or health insurance agreement on emergency medical help.
   These documents are not necessary to be provided by citizens of some states. For instance, citizens of CIS member-states are entitled to free emergency medical help in Belarus. Others are required to purchase an insurance certificate from an insurance company.

You must also take into account that your employer must obtain a special permit to employ foreign citizens. The employer must submit an application and a copy of your passport or a document substituting it to the Citizenship and Migration Department (of the district where the employer is registered) and pay a state fee. Once the employer obtains the permit, he must provide you with its copy, which you should also attach to the package of documents required to obtain a temporary residence permit in Belarus.

! No special permit is required to employ citizens of Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan in Belarus.

Should you have any questions do not hesitate to contact our office via e-mail:

[email protected] or phone +375 44 562 38 42.